The Gap of Time
by James-Padfoot
Summary: Sirius, I need you to set off at once. You are to alert Remus Lupin, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher-the old crowd. Lie low at Lupin's for a while;I will contact you there- This one shot takes place following that orders, with Remus as the main focus.


**THE GAP OF TIME **

_**DISCLAIMER : I do not own Remus, Sirius, Harry, Crouch, Moody, Voldemort, or any other Harry Potter character. They belong to Jo and whoever else that has rights over them... I can keep wishing though... This fic is something I wanted to do, after re-reading GoF for what must have been the 6th time. Enjoy... **_

_**Update 5th April : I have updated this fic to add a little more detail and correct some grammar as well as add minor details. Thank you SilverRaiine and Sarah for your reviews. However this is only a one-shot.  
**_

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The room smelled oddly like decaying corpses. It was obvious that the previous owners had never bothered about the basement, as the dingy murky smell was horrible. And even more so to a werewolf's senses. Remus Lupin felt like passing out from the stinking smell, and cast several air refreshining charms into the air. It however, seemed to have little, if any effect at all. Crying out helplessly, he then cast a bubble head charm and descended cautiously down the creaky wooden stairs. If the smell of the place was anything to go by, Remus was going to have a tough time with this part of the house.

It was dark, and from what he could see, there was a large cupboard in the centre, with various smaller cupboards placed hap hazardly around. Metal spears were jutting out from all over the place. He ildly wondered if it was a muggle torture chamber of some sort, as the previous muggle owners were fans of Darth Vader, or so he was told, a very dark and evil force in the muggle world. Remus assessed that Darth Vader couldn't be as possibly as bad as Voldermort. Although, the name did have a kind of cool ring to it...

Remus fumbled for the light switch on the wall, his hands brushing against the rough, cobbed web peeling wallpaper. He let out a grunt of irratation with curse words following, and then the whole basement suddenly seemed much more in focus, as the dim light bulb brought some light into the room. It seemed he had found the switch.

Dark amber eyes surveyed its sorroudings. The sandy brown hair that used to fall neatly on a wrinkle free face, was now tones paler, with streaks of grey. The features of the man that was Remus Lupin was now damp with signs of age. Tired eyes, wrinkles and a certain air around him that seem to send out vibes saying this man had led a short but hard life, was all ever so clearly present.

He sighed, prodding an empty box, realizing that all the mess in here only meant more cleaning. The room was a little intimidating, and a mystery as to its purpose. Remus was just bending down to open the flap of the box, when the doorbell rang, loud barking following after it.

Remus rushed upstairs, jumping over most of the stairs. There was only one person, or rather, dog, which ever way you want to see it as, that had that bark. As he ran to open the door, he wondered what on earth Sirius was doing there, when he was supposed to be with Harry. It was after all, the finals of the Triwizard Tournament. Remus himself had wanted to go, but to make ends meet at home he had to work. It was unavoidable. He had, after all, only moved in two weeks ago, and inbetween jobs and making the house actually fit to live in, he had very little time to spare.

The full moon was in a week and a half, and while Remus had already a room to transform in, he didn't think it was all safe, and was planning on converting the well hid basement to his werewolf headquarters.

Expecting to find a loveable stray dog as he opened the door, he frowned as he saw no one or nothing. Then suddenly, from behind the bush, out jumped a huge black dog, darting into the house like a blur black dot. Remus's frowned deepened as he shut the door firmly.

"What are-" but he stopped after staring incredously at the dog, that was his bestfriend. Padfoot was sniffing about, ears perked, tail stiff and alert as if trouble was about.

Then padding softly into the living room, where a fire was roaring, Sirius Black appeared. Remus let a small gasp. Sirius looked tired, exhausted but angry and alert. Something was definetely wrong, and Remus's thoughts jumped to Harry.

"What happened?"

Sirius looked at him, his haunted gray eyes screaming exhaustion, and he indeed looked ready to pass out. He fell heavily on the chair, closed his eyes and took heavy deep breaths. Remus walked to the kicthen and got him some water. When he came back into the living room, Sirius was now in a sitting position, resting and was watching the werewolf intently.

"I suggest you sit down too", he spoke, his voice hoarse. Remus handed him the glass and sat down next to his bestfriend. Sirius took a long deep breath after gulping down the much needed water.

"Harry and Cedric went into the maze first. Then Krum and Fluer. We don't know what happened, but Dumbledore said that Crouch put the Imperius on Krum, made him take Fleur out and Crucio-ed Diggory."

"Crouch! Barty Crouch" Remus exclaimed, shocked.

"No.." Sirius replied bitterly. "Barty Crouch Junior..but I'll get to that later"

Remus looked thunderstruck. "But he is dead..."

"Crouch eliminated competition and major threats, clearing the path for Harry to win. But Diggory didn't go down without a fight, he and Harry helped each other, and at the very last moment, both, noble and brave took the cup together, a Hogwarts win."

Now Remus looked completely perplexed.

"The cup was a portkey. In an instant, the boys found themselves in a graveyard." Sirius's grey eyes glazed over in extreme anger. "Then Wormtail killed Diggory with Voldemort's wand. Just like that. Voldemort called him a spare. Wormtail tied Harry to Riddle's headstone, and Voldemort was reborn. He has a full body now, with Harry's blood. The foul dirty , no good son of a... when I get my" and here Sirius made a gurgling noise, wringing his hands. He stopped suddenly, seeing the gaze Remus imposed on him and continued.

"Harry said it was some kind of potion, at which required blood of the enemy, flesh of a servant and bone of the father..." Sirius looked absolutely disgusted as did Remus as he began placing all the information given to him.

"He then called all his death eaters. Lucius, Averry, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, and the rest of them, from 13 years ago. His sacred inner circle. Apparently, Snape, and Karkaroff has betrayed him. He will be after them."

"He taunted and made fun of Harry. He gave the boy back his wand, and mocked him to a duel of death. But no one quite knew that the wand of Voldemort's and Harry's are brothers."

Remus cut in sharply. "Priori Incantatem?"

"Aye... One of the rarest occurances... Harry, the brilliant boy that he was, forced it on Voldemorts wand."

Sirius voice grew quiet, and sad. "He saw James and Lily, along with Cedric, Bertha, and a muggle."

Remus drew in a loud gasp, his face pale and worried.

Sirius's gaze, dark haunted and filled with sorrow that was so intense, turned to Remus, squarely in the eye. When he spoke, his voice never wavered. "They helped him Remus... James and Lily..."

Remus nodded, trying hard to choke back the sob that threatned to overwhelm him. He rubbed Sirius's back soothingly, in the only way he knew how. They had all been bestfriends, there for each other when no one else would have dared. "Harry fought and ran back towards the portkey, and did something only a noble wizard would. He brought back Diggory's body."

Remus smiled, a ghost of a smile, proud of Harry.

Sirius continued bitterly. "But it didn't end there. As if the boy didn't have enough to deal with. Crouch took him, alone, demanded the story out of him, and then tried to kill him. He was stopped by Dumbledore and the rest. Dumbledore revealed that the Moody that was there was an imposter, Crouch Junior. The real Moody was locked in his own trunk, and Crouch had been using Polyjuice to impersonate him. He was under orders to make Harry win and take the cup. He had escaped out of Azkaban by trading places with his mother. She died instead of him. His father took him home and kept him, for almost twelve years, hidden."

Comprehension dawned quickly on the werewolf's face, but the look of shock was still there. There was however, a more pressing thing on his mind. "How is Harry?"

Sirius looked regretful, sad and hurt all at once, as if it was his fault. "He had a broken leg, he's shocked, and angry that Fudge wont believe the story. Fudge refuses to admit that Voldemort is back. Stupid pompous moron who is a complete arsehole..." Sirius muttered.

"The.. err old gang then?" he asked, sensing next what Sirius was going to say as the man broke of his muttering about the more rude things that Fudge was. Sirius nodded, weary.

"I'll get Bella..." Remus said, as he got up and headed to the fireplace. Then, upoin seeing the look on Sirius's face, he corrected himself quickly. "Arabella that is"

"Oh Moony?" Sirius called, after a short moment of pause. "Yea?" Remus replied, holding a handful of floo powder. "I had to shake hands with Snape and was told to lie low here for a while"

Remus smiled. "Sure, you can help me clean the basement" he said with a tinge of a smile in his voice, glad that Sirius would at least be here with him.

And then he stuck his head in the fire and called for Arabella Figg.

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The author of this story can become a very saddistic person if not fed with reviews. You have been warned. The lives of Remus and Sirius lie in your hands. Feed them, by feeding me. 

_In a distance, cries and pleas can be heard..._

_Remus - Please, oh please feed us!_

_Sirius in the form of Padfoot - yelp yelp whine yelp!_

Just kidding, I love Sirius and Remus too much to do that to them, but do Review now that you've Read!


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